Negro Please!: Mayor Adams Scorned For “Negroes” Remark, Jesus Comparisons
Written by djfrosty on February 27, 2025
Source: TIMOTHY A. CLARY / Getty
New York City Mayor Eric Adams came under fire for his referring to Black leaders asking him to resign as “negroes” and invoking Jesus in a speech.
There is more trouble surrounding New York City Mayor Eric Adams after his recent comments at a Black History Month event at his mayoral residence, Gracie Mansion. In his speech on Tuesday (Feb. 25), he chastised Black politicians who called for him to step down in the wake of Adams agreeing to work with President Donald Trump while federal corruption charges against him could be dropped. “This is a biblical moment,” Adams began, continuing: “When Jesus was on the cross, he said, ‘God forgive them for they know not what they do. All these negroes who are asking me to step down, God forgive them.”
Adams would end up in a testy exchange when questioned by Curt Menefee, the co-anchor of Fox 5’s Good Day New York program on Wednesday (Feb. 26). “Are you implying that if you’re Black, you have to support you?” Menefee asked. “No, not at all. I’m asking for all New Yorkers to support me,” Adams replied, prompting Menefee to pointedly ask, “Are you saying all New Yorkers are negroes?” Adams seemed flustered, defending himself by saying: “I thought I was very clear in my definition of what I said … you got 8.3 million New Yorkers, 8.3 million people didn’t call for me to step down. I get just the opposite when I’m in the streets.”
“So anybody who’s Black who calls for you to step down, they need help from God. I’m focusing on this because your use of the word negro has come up repeatedly over the last couple of weeks, and I think some people actually have an issue with that term,” replied Menefee, adding, “So explain who you’re talking to when you use that term specifically.” Adams would deflect.
The exchange reflected the growing dissatisfaction with Adams in the Black community in recent weeks. Harlem-based Reverend Johnnie Green expressed his displeasure. “I think all spiritual leaders in this town are appalled by it,” Green said of the remarks. “It just shows you the times in which we live how dangerously wicked people can be… He is no savior, he is no Christ, he is no sacrificial lamb.” Public Advocate Jumanne Williams also blasted Adams. “You can see someone who is in major crisis and has no ability to look within, that is a very dangerous person to have running the city.”